Lincoln Tavern and Restaurant is just what this part of South Boston needed: a stylish, convivial venue focused on the sport of socializing. Opened early this month, the place frequently has a line out the door. People are willing to wait for comfort food, wood-fired pizza, and cocktails like the Quiet Man (bourbon, maple liquor, and sweet vermouth).

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Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff

Dishes are prepared on the wood-fired grill.

The chef is Nicholas Dixon, best known for his food at Lucky’s Lounge. (He also did stints at the former 94 Mass Ave and Harvard Gardens.) Followers will recognize his touch in dishes such as fish tacos, gnocchi Bolognese, and Kobe sliders with bacon aioli, Muenster cheese, and fried quail eggs. What else to look forward to? Snacks include spicy, wood-grilled wings; roasted dates stuffed with blue cheese and almonds, wrapped in bacon; and meatballs with polenta and red sauce. There are soups, salads, and sandwiches — think burgers, grilled cheese, and steak with cheddar, caramelized onions, and horseradish aioli. Entrees range from short ribs with truffled macaroni and cheese to buttermilk fried chicken with biscuits and bacon grits to seared scallops with whipped jalapeno potatoes, fried green beans, and creamed corn. Then there are the pies (available late-night, too), from the classic margherita to one topped with butternut squash, onions, cheese, and bacon. Dessert might be cheesecake, a brownie sundae, or Nutella flatbread.